By Brody Kuhar, Reporter

The Knights’ softball team started off their season yesterday against Burlington Central, but the Knights are most looking forward to their first match up against rival Sycamore on April 10.

Last year the Knights ended the season at 14-18, getting knocked out of the semifinals in an upsetting loss to the Sycamore Spartans.

Sycamore has knocked the Knights out of the playoffs two years in a row, first at regionals in 2010, followed by the semi-final loss last season.

“Sycamore will be our biggest competition this year because they’ve beat us the past two years in sectionals. We want to beat them really bad,” senior captain Delani Vest said.

Head coach Brian Willis of the Knights varsity softball team said that Sycamore will be a challenge this year.

“Sycamore is always a tough team to beat, but things change from year to year, so you never know how tough the match up will be,” Willis said.

The team has been working hard in the weight room and practicing multiple times a week to prepare for this season.

The Knights will be going to a spring training tournament over spring break in Tennessee.

“We hope to get early season confidence and experience to carry over into our regular season,” Willis said.

Captains McKinzie Mangers, Sam Hansen, Delani Vest and Allyson O’Herron are all looking forward to a good year.

“The team will be working hard this year to overcome the rivals, Sycamore and DeKalb, and move past them in the playoffs,” O’Herron said.

Knights softball has high hopes on the upcoming season with a new and strong lineup. The bar is set high with their goal to win the conference and advance as far as they possibly can into the state playoffs.

“We have the talent to do a lot of good things this year as a team, and we have the potential to go along way in the playoffs this year,” Willis said.